Man killed in bear attack near Halasagara; enraged villagers beat animal to death

Kudligi (Vijayanagara district) A 45-year-old man was killed in a suspected bear attack while grazing goats near Halasagara in Gudekote hobli of Kudligi taluk on Monday afternoon. The deceased has been identified as G. Obayya, a resident of Halasagara village.

According to police, Obayya had taken his goats to graze in the outskirts of the village when the wild bear allegedly attacked him. The animal reportedly mauled him severely, inflicting deep injuries to his head, hands, legs and other parts of the body. He died on the spot due to the grievous injuries, officials said. Obayya is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Police suspect that the attack occurred around 1 pm. However, the incident came to light only later in the evening when local residents noticed the body and alerted the Gudekote range forest officer as well as the police.

The incident triggered widespread anger among villagers. On learning about the attack, a large number of people rushed towards the forest area in search of the animal. The same bear was reportedly spotted nearby, following which enraged villagers allegedly attacked it with sticks and clubs and beat it to death.

A video showing villagers assaulting the bear has surfaced and is being circulated locally. Forest department officials and police have reached the spot and are conducting further inquiries into the incident.